


Hunter x Carnival

by LadyIDK



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe, Blind Date, Fluff and Humor, For KrKrZine, Hisoka started it, Kurapika's sass, Kuroro's sass, M/M, Poor Babimyna
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-06-07 20:58:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15227763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyIDK/pseuds/LadyIDK
Summary: Kurapika get's talked into a blind date by his friends. He expects nothing but trouble from it. When he meets Kuroro he starts to think maybe he was wrong for once. Unfortunately, he's very rarely wrong.





	Hunter x Carnival

**Author's Note:**

> This is my submission for the krkr fanzine curated by @seiyuna and their friend @uuugggggghhhhh. 
> 
> I'm so happy I got selected and I'm really grateful!

Neon lights and screaming laughter filled the air with the scent of mud and fried sugar. Kurapika's arms were loosely crossed, a frown on his face as he tried not to lean back on the greasy wall of a game booth. He sighed as his phone began to vibrate and ring in his pocket. Without taking his eyes off the carnival entrance, he answered.

 “Yes?” he grunted in annoyance.

 “Leorio's right. You can give frostbite through the phone.” Kurapika blinked in surprise at the familiar voice.

“Killua.” Typically, out of the three of his friends, it was Leorio or Gon who called him. If Killua had anything to say he'd have the other two pass it along. "Is something wrong?” Kurapika quickly asked, his finger idly tapping against his phone. “Do you need me—"

"Smile. Or try to not look like you're about to head on a one-man warpath. You'll scare your date away."

 "I don't look like—” Kurapika paused as he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the metal of a nearby ride. “How do you even know what I look like? Or that I'm...meeting someone?"

 “Uh, because I know you? And also because Gon and I can see you from the top of the Ferris Wheel.” Kurapika raised his head slightly and looked up. Killua smirked down at him, giving a lazy salute while Gon waved with two cones of cotton candy in each hand. “As for why we know you're on a date, Leorio paid us 10,000 Jenny each to spy and update him on what’s going on. He wanted to make sure you didn't scare the guy away. Or that he didn't try anything funny with you,” Killua finished explaining.

 “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.” Kurapika felt his cheeks warm with embarrassment. The side door to the game booth opened, startling him, and a tall pink-haired man emerged. The man gave him a leering smirk that encouraged Kurapika to move farther away from the booth as he spoke. “It would have been nice if he’d told me who I was meeting, though,” Kurapika muttered. The man's smirk widened but he seemed to get the hint Kurapika’s glare was giving him and walked off.

 “Would kind of negate the whole point of a blind date, right? But—if it helps it’s someone he knows through work,” Killua hummed. “That's all he would tell us. Oh, and that the guy you’re meeting knows what you look like. Apparently, it's just supposed to be a blind date for you.”

 “Next time he asks me to proofread one of his papers for school, I'm going to add mistakes to it,” Kurapika grumbled and Killua chuckled on the other end.

 “Like I said, stop looking like you're at a funeral and more like you’re at one of the most famous traveling carnivals in the country. Gon and I are heading towards the roller coaster if you need us.”

 “I thought you were paid to spy on me?”

 “Leorio needs to learn to stop paying up front,” the white-haired boy snickered before hanging up. Kurapika shook his head but a ghost of a smile touched his lips while he locked his phone. After a brief moment of thought, he unlocked it and put it on silent. Leorio had a habit of blowing up his phone with calls and texts. Once his friend realized that he wasn’t getting any information from the boys, he was bound to start bothering Kurapika directly.

 “Excuse me.”

 Kurapika looked up, “Yes?” His gaze met a curious dark grey one. “Are you…”

 “I see you’ve been waiting for a while.” The man smiled.

 Kurapika studied the man across from him. He was a little taller than Kurapika, with black hair and a headband wrapped around his forehead. The other male's skin was quite pale and his eyes were a dark grey, almost black.

 He was dressed in a black v-neck sweater and jeans. All-in-all... the stranger was rather good looking, which was not something Kurapika expected after the last time Leorio tried to set him up with someone. “Not that long, you’re—”

 “Sorry, I should introduce myself properly. My name is Kuroro.” Kuroro took a step closer to Kurapika with an outstretched hand. Kurapika eyed it briefly before reaching out to accept it.

“Kurapika,” he introduced himself before feeling a bit stupid since the man had to have already known his name through Leorio. Kuroro, to his credit, didn’t comment and kept his smile friendly, but his eyes turned a bit mischievous.

 They both stared at each other. Kurapika didn’t really know where to go past the initial greeting. He shifted from foot to foot trying to think of something to say. “So, um, what—”

 “You’re very pretty,” Kuroro suddenly said. At Kurapika’s surprised and then flustered expression, he chuckled. “Sorry, I was told you were cute, and when I saw you waiting I almost couldn’t believe—”

 “Leorio exaggerates,” Kurapika interrupted with a chuckle of his own, a blush dusting his cheeks. “So I understand what you mean.”

“Hm.” Kuroro hummed, head tilting to the side in thought. Slowly, his smile slid into a playful smirk. “Right. Well, what ride would you like to go on first?”

 “Actually, I wouldn’t mind starting with something to eat,” Kurapika replied.

 “Hm,” Kuroro hummed thoughtfully. “Usually not the best idea to eat before the rides.”

 “It’s not usually the best idea to keep your date waiting for almost an hour,” Kurapika shot back with slightly narrowed eyes. With a chuckle, Kuroro raised his hands defensively.

“True, very true. So food it is. There’s a funnel cake stand this way.” Kuroro started leading them around into the main crowd of the carnival. He paused once he saw the look of utter disgust on Kurapika’s face

.“How about something else?”

 “You don’t like funnel cake?”

 “Frankly, I’ve never tried it and have no desire to.”

 “You’ve never had a funnel cake before?”

 “You say that like I’ve committed a crime.”

 “Well, you have,” Kuroro stated. His serious tone clashed with the mischievous sparkle in his dark eyes.

 “The amount of grease in them can shave ten years off of your life,” Kurapika muttered as his nose wrinkled with disgust. “Besides, I don’t like sweets. They hurt my teeth.”

 “Sometimes the best things in life hurt,” Kuroro reasoned tried to reason as he continued walking.

 “Don’t push your masochism onto people like it’s a fact of life,” Kurapika snipped. Kuroro froze mid-step alongside Kurapika with wide eyes and a blank look.

 “I mean,” Kuroro hummed, “that’s actually a perfect example, just think of it like that.”

 “What?” With a smug grin, Kuroro grabbed Kurapika by his upper arm and hauled him over to the food vendors.

 Kurapika tried to yank his arm back but the other’s grip held firm.

 “Let me go!”

 “Just try it!”

 “I don’t want to, I don’t like them!”

 “How do you know you don’t if you’ve never tried them? We’ll just put a little bit of powdered sugar on it so it won’t hurt your teeth as much. You’ll love it!” Kurapika grabbed onto Kuroro’s hand, trying to pry the other’s grip loose. His nails dug into the other’s fingers tightly, but the hand still didn’t budge. Kuroro yanked Kurapika forward with little effort, placing the squirming and struggling Kurapika in front of him as they stood in line. It wasn’t until other line occupants started to turn and give him looks of annoyance that Kurapika stood still with a petulant frown etched onto his face. He ignored Kuroro’s snickering behind him as he moved with the line. Soon enough they stood in front of the ordering window, Kuroro’s arm around his shoulders to keep him from running.

 “What’ll it be,” a thin man asked Kurapika. Kurapika stayed quiet and the man’s bored gaze grew irritated at the lack of response.

 “I don’t have all day—”

 “Two funnel cakes, extra sugar on both,” Kuroro piped up with a friendly smile directed at the vendor holding up 1,000 Jenny. The vendor looked at the money then at Kuroro with a raised brow. Wordlessly, he took the money and waved them down to the next window to wait for their order.

 “Would you get off of me!” Kurapika snapped and shrugged off Kuroro’s hand as they stopped by the window.

 “Sorry, sorry.” Kuroro held his hands up in peaceful gesture but didn’t look remorseful in the slightest. “Just trust me though, you’ll like it.”

 “I think I can trust myself to know what I like already.” With a petulant frown, Kurapika turned away from Kuroro while they waited for their food. After a few moments, a woman handed them their food and the two walked out of the way of the other patrons.

 “What do you like then?” Kuroro asked, breaking the silence.

 “Kettle corn.”

 “Kettle corn is good,” Kuroro admitted, “but funnel cake is better.”

 “Allow me to introduce you to a dictionary so you can see the actual definition of ‘better’ to see how mistaken you truly are.”

 “I’m hearing a lot of talk and not enough eating.”

“I told you I don’t want to eat—” Kurapika was cut off as a sweet and greasy piece of funnel cake was quickly shoved into his mouth. Kurapika snapped his mouth closed after being forcefully fed the treat, almost catching Kuroro’s finger.

 “Good right?” Kuroro prompted, completely unbothered by Kurapika’s attempt to amputate his finger. Kurapika glared at the other as he barely chewed the dessert before swallowing.

“All I taste is the powdered sugar and it makes my teeth feel like they’re rotting,” Kurapika retorted snottily.

 “Sooo, good?”

 Kurapika rolled his eyes, taking the funnel cake container that was being held out to him and begrudgingly ate another bite. “It’s not as bad as I thought at least,” he admitted. Kuroro smiled as he took a bite of his own. They started wandering around together while they ate.

 “So now that we have some good and greasy food in our stomachs, which ride do you want to go on first? The Vomitron or Tilt-A-Hurl?” A loud snort made Kuroro look towards Kurapika just in time to see Kurapika slap a hand over his face, coughing into it as his ears turned red. “You okay?” Kuroro questioned with a smirk.

 His reward was a withering glare as Kurapika recovered. He coughed a few more times. “Tempting but no.”

 “What do you suggest then?”

 Kurapika looked around thoughtfully. After a moment his eyes lit up, and the smile Kurapika gave was so bright and innocent that Kuroro felt whiplash when Kurapika said, “Bumper cars,” with enough venomous acid in his tone to melt a man to the bone.

 “Let’s get in line,” Kuroro said with a wicked, challenging grin.

* * *

 

 “It was rigged!” Kurapika insisted as he trudged ahead of Kuroro, arms crossed and a pout twisting his lips.

 “Sure, sure,” Kuroro chuckled as he adjusted the prize he'd won at the dart game booth after Kurapika had failed to hit a single balloon. Kurapika’s face when he hit every target had been hilarious.

 The prize itself was a fluffy pink stuffed elephant with a bow tie in a nauseating shade of neon green. Kurapika had been convinced he picked it not because he wanted it, but solely for the fact that Kurapika nearly gagged at the sight of it.

 Kuroro, honestly, would have preferred getting the dolphin with the trippy flower print much more. He couldn't pass up the elephant after seeing Kurapika’s reaction though. “The balloons were made of flexible titanium. Had to be. No other option. Certainly you not having bad aim,” he drawled, teasing Kurapika.

 “I,” Kurapika started as he turned, walking backwards so he could face Kuroro. “Hit the ballon, three times, and it didn’t pop. Three times! In the same spot!” He ended snappishly tone and Kuroro laughed.

 “Okay, so would you like a chance to redeem yourself? Maybe a ring toss or the water guns?”

 “As if I’d waste my money on rigged games. If one is rigged, then I doubt the rest wouldn’t be.” Kurapika said, walking alongside Kuroro again.

 After the bumper cars, which Kurapika won though he wasn’t one to brag, they’d gone to some of the easier to ride rollercoasters. Kurapika had briefly spotted Killua and Gon waiting in line for the carnivals main feature coaster, The Spider. They seemed to be pitching a fit to the pink-haired attendee about not being allowed on. A few more rides later and they’d wandered back to the game booths. Kurapika had been getting more and more

frustrated as he lost each game. Kuroro hadn’t made fun of his losses. No, he did much worse. He continually beat the games Kurapika lost, waving off the prizes or handing them out to a random child. The only one he kept was the gaudy elephant.

 “It didn’t stop you from wasting about 5,000 Jenny at the dart booth.”

 “Shut up,” Kurapika snapped, and started to feel a blush dust his cheeks as it came out sounding closer to a whine. From the corner of his eye he saw Kuroro smirk.

 “So… you want to make another round through the rides? Or call it a night,” Kuroro tacked on when Kurapika’s expression turned hesitant. They’d been walking around and going on rides for quite awhile now. Kurapika had no idea what time it was anymore. Slipping his hand into his pocket, Kurapika pulled out his phone and turned it back on to check the time.

 His screen loaded and Kurapika nearly dropped his phone in missed text and calls flooded the tiny device, making it vibrate violently and little chimes sound of every second. Every single one was from one source...Leorio.

 “Jeez,” Kurapika grumbled under his breath, earning a raised brow from Kuroro, who was still waiting on an answer from Kurapika. “Sorry, ah, just give me a moment.” Without waiting for an answer Kurapika walked a little ways away, phone to his ear as he called Leorio. It didn’t even make it past the first ring.

 “Kurapika!”

 “Leorio, why do I have 26 miss—"

 “The hell Kurapika! I was starting to think you were dead or something!"

 “...excuse me? You knew I was on a date. One you set up,” Kurapika huffed. He didn’t think he’d ever get used to Leorio’s dramatics.

 “Well, excuse me for being worried when I get told you’re nowhere to be seen and Gon and Killua aren't answer—ah, forget that last part, anyway. Where the hell are you! Come on man, I know last time was a bust but now you’re just making me look bad to my coworker!”

 “What are you talking about?”

 “Babi! He waited almost an hour for you! I mean, he did say that you might have left because he was late to begin with, but seriously Pika? It was only by thirty minutes! You could at least text me to let me know you were bailing! I could let him know the whole thing was off, and I wouldn’t have to be worrying you were dead, or kidnapped, or something!”

 “Babi? Your coworker’s name is...Babi?"

 “Yeah, Babimyna, what about it?”

 “..Does he go by any other names, maybe a middle one or...?”

 “Not that I'm aware of, why—don’t try and distract me! I want an answer, Kurapika!"

 “I'm not, just, what does he look like? Black hair, dark eyes?"

 “If you're so interested in his looks you should have been patient and wait—”

 “Leorio! Just answer the question.“

 “Jeez, fine whatever. No, try brown curly hair with the sides cut and blue eyes. I'll ask again, why?“

 “...Leorio, tell him I'm sorry for being rude and not to take it out on you too much. It was my bad. I've got to go, goodbye.“

 "Kurapika wait, wh—"

 Kurapika stared at his phone in silence, ignoring how it immediately started to ring with a call from Leorio, and took a deep breath. Squaring his shoulders, Kurapika turned around and his gaze fell Kuroro, who was chatting with a familiar redhead, creepily smirking vendor in a nearby game booth. Striding up, Kurapika caught both of their attention and Kuroro turned, giving Kurapika a charming smile that began to turn puzzled at the blank stare he was receiving. Before Kuroro could open his mouth in question, Kurapika’s fist made firm contact with the side of his skull, effectively laying out the taller male right into the mud.

 Straightening his posture, Kurapika turned to the redhead who looked torn between shock and amusement. “Do you have a pen or marker?"

* * *

 

 Kuroro groaned as he slowly came back to awareness. He heard someone move beside him.

 “Your new boyfriend has one heck of a right hook.”A familiar voice chuckled in amusement, Kuroro sighed. “He’s not my boyfriend, Hisoka,” Kuroro corrected and then added. “And yes, he does.”

 “It’s a shame he figured you out, but you did manage to get away with it for a little while.”

 “I knew I should’ve just ignored you when you dared me to approach him,” Kuroro grumbled as he sat up and opened his eyes. He was on the couch in the employee’s break trailer. Hisoka must have dragged him here after getting laid out. “What did you do,” Kuroro immediately accused, eyes narrowed suspiciously at the redhead who was staring at him with a wide, amused smirk. That smirk spoke of mischief, and it was rare of Hisoka to not mess with someone...especially if they were unconscious.

 “Nothing,” the redhead replied innocently. They stared at each other briefly before Kuroro sighed and lowered his head into his hands. “What’s the matter?” Hisoka questioned after a moment.

“I was actually having fun,” Kuroro admitted. “And not just because I was successfully fooling him about being his date.”

 “Hm, well perhaps you’ll have just as much fun next time.”

 “Hisoka, I don’t think there will be another date.”

 “Why’s that?”

 “Aside from the punch to the face, I have no way of asking him out on one, and I’m fairly sure he won’t have a positive answer.”

 “Hm,” Hisoka hummed as he pushed off against the wall he was leaning on and handed Kuroro a hand mirror.

 “You might be surprised.” Kuroro accepted the mirror hesitantly and jolted as he saw himself in the reflection.

On his skin were goofy almost childlike designs and a few slurs written in black sharpie. On his forehead though, there was ten digit number written across it. “He said to tell you he’s ‘keeping the ugly as sin elephant you liked so much’ as payback for lying to him.”

 Kuroro smiled and nearly dropped the mirror as a fit of laughter shook through him. “I think I’m in love.”


End file.
